Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Allocations for the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, have been announced this week and Drogheda, the largest town in the country outside of the major cities, got absolutely no support. It got zero marks, practically, in its application. Of the 70-odd applications, Drogheda is in the lowest cohort, in about 66th place. That is entirely unacceptable. There is a huge crisis of confidence in local government, both locally and nationally, as a result of this decision. The assessment of the Drogheda application must be published immediately, today. We will hold accountable the people who are responsible for that. It is most important that the Taoiseach meets the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, the Secretary General of his Department and the CEO of the Louth County Council, Joan Martin, to ensure that the €200 million left in that fund is accounted for and that a fair and adequate proportion of it is spent in Drogheda. What has happened here is entirely unacceptable, shocking and shameful. This is not the first or second but the third time this has happened. People in Drogheda are very angry and are up in arms. The Taoiseach must act now.

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